Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

BRADY, Paul

(b 19 May '47, Strabane, Co. Tyrone, N. Ireland) Singer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter. While still in school, played piano on summer holidays in Donegal, accompanying patrons; then on rock circuit with Dublin-based groups the Kult and Rockhouse (which he calls his 'formative period'). Member of the Johnstons folk group until '72; lived in USA '72--3 (first of three stays there); joined Planxty '74 replacing Christy Moore: although he did not record with them, this was regarded as one of their best lineups. Andy Irvine/Paul Brady '76 on Mulligan showcased Planxty-period repertoire impressively, incl. 'Arthur McBride', 'Lough Erne Shore', 'The Jolly Soldier'. Considerable reputation as interpreter of trad. material culminated in Welcome Here Kind Stranger on Mulligan, unquestionably a brilliant folk album, voted best of the year by Melody Maker '78: incl. 'Lakes Of Pontchartrain' (derived from Moore's version, itself from Mike Waterson's), which became closely identified with Brady. Sessioned on Kevin Burke's If The Cap Fits, Matt Molloy Paul Brady Tommy Peoples, Peoples's High Part Of The Road, Andy McGann And Paul Brady and Irvine's Rainy Sundays ... Windy Dreams. (LP The Gathering on Greenhays has self-produced tracks by Brady, Molloy, Irvine, Donal Lunny etc). At this point he felt he had 'exhausted all the possibilities of interpreting traditional music'; this was premature, but he was now writing songs himself. He scored an anthology of Sean O'Casey's writings called The Green Crow Caws '80 on EMI for various instruments, attracting little publicity; he began to allow more influences (blues, country etc) and on the strength of demos WEA offered him a singles deal: 'Crazy Dreams'/'Busted Loose' was no. 1 in Eire later that year '80. Hard Station '81 was an accomplished solo debut incl. new versions of the single, 'Night Hunting Time' (covered by Santana on Shango '82) and the vehement 'Nothing But The Same Old Story', specifically about British attitudes to the Irish but applicable to the majority's treatment of a minority of whatever persuasion. He opened concerts for Dire Straits and Eric Clapton; True For You '83 on 21 Records shifted its approach slightly towards radio play and Tina Turner covered its 'Steel Claw' on her Private Dancer '84 at the suggestion of Mark Knopfler, with whom Brady collaborated on soundtrack to film Cal '84 (soundtrack CD on Vertigo); Dave Edmunds also covered 'Claw'. Full Moon '84 on Demon was a live LP, Back To The Centre '86 on Phonogram a polished collection of songs, with 'The Island' standing out. He contributed trad. 'Green Fields Of Canada' to Feed The Folk '85 on Temple, folk's contribution to Band Aid; wrote 'Paradise Is Here' especially for Turner (on Break Every Rule '86) and Bob Dylan named him as one of five favourite performers in the notes to Biograph '85. Further Brady albums incl. Trick Or Treat '91, Songs And Crazy Dreams '92, Spirits Colliding '93--4 on Polygram labels; he says the songs come first: when there's enough of them, he makes an album.